I phoned for my electrical inspecttion and was told that it would be anywhere between 2 to 3 weeks to get an inspection. I told them winter was coming and that wouldn’t do so they said they would try and get here with in a week. Well that week came and went and more phone calls yeilded little results. So I said screw it and insulated. Low and behold they phoned today and said someone may be here tommorw. I told them I had insulated because the temperature goes down to freezing at night. I am living in the place right now. He told me I had to remove all the insulation so he could see the wire. I said not going to happen. Will see what happens if he show up. I did my due diligence and made my calls. He only has to inspect 4 receptacles in the garage but who know what kind of a ahole he is going to be. He is a young inspector trying to make a name for himself. Rules are rules I realize that but why should I bow down when they dropped the ball not me. Done my rant for now.
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yer have to ask Mooney that question.
He use to be an inspector.
Inspectors? Don't even go there.
Hey I got an idea. How about we call our peer moderators "inspectors from here out. Seems kind of construction like. Mike
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.
On all the house that I have built when the electricians are done the rough in the inspectors have 24hr to show up. If they don't you can cover. But because I am the homeowner doing my own electrical they want to bend you over and give it to you. If they don't want homeowner doing there own electrical then don't issue them a permit. My problem is that the electrical inspector I had has moved so I have a new one that has no clue to what was already discussed. I called the original inspector and he said there is nothing he can do and he also said that in some of the rural areas people have been waiting up to 2 months for an inspection.
when I find myself in that situation, I take lots of pictures - they'll sometimes accept that in lieu of removing drywall, insulation, etc.View Image bakersfieldremodel.com
Hey, there's a new icon for the BT mods...er...inspectors, too.
I kind oof like this one, pointing us in the right direction.
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Mike
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.
Edited 10/7/2009 7:26 am by ruffmike
Here they have 48 hours, week days after that- bite me, <G>
No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
Agree. If they want to behave that way ..... no permit next time.
They work for you. You pay their wages. Sue 'em.
Old Bas...d
I don't bash inspectors, run into some great ones that went beyond what they had to.
Only had a few Jacks but you have Jacks in all parts of life.
Here like I said, our inspectors have 48 hrs. Keeps projects moving. On our own home, the inspector didnt make it by Friday PM, there goes the insulation until after Monday, Oh well. Mid morning Saturday the inspector shows, passes for insulation Told us he figured we would want to insulate this weekend,, Yes- He's a nice guy.
So don't bash them all. Just a few. No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
ya,
I met an ok one.
Once.
I always felt the inspector issues were a close parallel to the:
"Those as can, do. Those as can't, teach". Always some good ones but a lot of them who can't cope with real world so go on govt payroll.
I alway felt :
Those who can, work at walmart
those that walmart dont want become county employees
there a job out there for everybody, no matter how stupid, lazy or uneducated. That why we have county inspectorThe only industrial that the public pays to stay in business
Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach, teach gym.
Inspectors! I used to work in an area without inspections and I didn't know how good I had it!
I called for a vapor barrier inspection last Thursday on one of my projects. Left a very polite message to please call me back and he never did (he's notorious for not calling back). I went ahead and covered it up. I almost wish they would make a stink because then I could talk to his boss.
Then there's the HVAC inspector. He'll call out something legitimate, like missing supports on a furnace intake. So you go and fix it. then, on his second trip, he sees that the return air ductwork isn't sealed. So you go and fix it. Then on his third trip, he sees that you left the screen in the dryer vent hood. And so on.
Or the electrical inspector. OMG. I've seen him nail an electrician (a very competent well known electrician) literally because they stapled a 12-2 and a 14-2 with one staple that was only rated for two 14-2's.
A lot of these guys' problem is tunnel vision. The good ones see their role as inspecting the work to assure it meets code but doing itt in such a way that progress is not impeded. Time is money in this business.
Your very correct in them having tunnel vision. In the 20 + years I have been doing this I have seen it all. A classic example is when I did my perimeter drain. The house is built on sand. The soil will never ever hold water as long as I live and for gererations to come. I put 3" of gravel over top of the pipe for about a 10' section. He came along and said that isn't good enough code says 6" min and fails it. So I have to take time off work go get more drain rock and call for another inspection. He shows up and says to me why am I here. I told him he glances in the trench and walks away. Never measured it or nothing go figure. I like the inspectors that think they are engineers and question the size of footings and things of that nature.
Inspectors? You're lucky you got that far. I had a set of plans I needed approved. Took almost a year and there were no changes. Next to no building going on and it took em a year?
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For got to pay the graft Andy??>G<
I've found the secret with inspectors is to know the code at least as well as they do and it's better if you know it better.
Never do anything to the minimums so that a simple glance will confirm that you know your stuff and have exceeded it..
As for the insulation thing Have one wall with an outlet pulled back on one side so he can look in and confirm your statements.. all you've lost are a few staples.. Then if he wants to see another ask him to select where and how much..
Now he has to stand there and watch you take it apart and often they are impatient enough to say, oh well since you've done it right so far I'll sign off on you.
Be nice, be respectful. and most of all be very subtle when you chew him out for being late. (do a left handed insult)
" Gee I'm sorry things are so busy that you had to make me wait so long, are they going to hire new inspectors?"
You have just insulted him and given him cause to worry about his job without risk of offending him because it was phrased cleverly enough so that it sounds like you care about him..
"I've found the secret with inspectors is to know the code at least as well as they do and it's better if you know it better."
I was doing a plumbing job on 26 houses years ago and the jurisdiction had just adopted a new code, the inspector showed up and told me that he didn't have any idea what the new code covered, he said if you say it's right it's o.k. with me, he then handed me 26 inspection stickers and said when you get done stick them on the windows, never seen him again! LOL
"If all else fails, read the directions"
I did even better
I built a house so differant from normal construction techniques that it's like I'm from another planet.. the walls are 16 inches thick but the "studs" are 48 inches on center..
I built it with ungraded sawmill wood in a town that is known for it's strict adherance to the building code.. Honestly, they go up on your roof and measure the spacing on cedar shakes.. too close and it's rejected, too far apart and it's rejected..
They normally want extremely strick adherance to the exact letter of the code..
So how did I get approval? Simple! By knowing every single relavent passage in the code and having a postit on it so I could quickly find the exact words and letter of the rules..
Then when he stopped by to check on progress he always saw that I was more than surpassing the letter and the spirit of the code but I was doing it in a carefully reasoned way.
Yes this was my first and only house!
The inspector is not the real problem any more than the rude/incompetent employee of any business is. The real problem is deeper; it's just that contact with the inspector is where you encounter the symptoms of problem. The pothole in the road knocks your truck out of alignment, but the pothole is not the real problem.
His boss(es) are to blame for being unaware or uncaring as to the level of quality in their employee. Happens in every type of business.
I know it's no comfort when you get a stooge for an inspector, but the reality is, if his employer is not willing to do anything about it, there's very little you can do except lick his boots until something changes. And most contractors don't have the time or inclination to go to the trouble of plowing through the bureaucratic maze that hires these guys. Most of us will just drive around the pothole instead of going to the trouble to get it fixed.
Before a new local administration finally got rid of the guy my little podunkville had a BI folks nicknamed Little Hitler because he was.
Ego size of a mountain and wanted everyone to kiss hisazz and if you didn't there was trouble.
One time he waited in his car watching a crew ready for a large pour and when the concrete truck finally arrived then jumped out and said it wasn't approved.
Got so bad because of death threats he got a permit to carry a side arm.
The world's full of stories involving BI and graft big and small.
Somebody tell us about Boston's Big Dig.
BIs need a blanket party.
Seeyou invented the blanket party !!!
I've never had a problem with inspectors that I couldn't work out. This spring I had a projection inspection, as the inspector is leaving, he asks how big are those head joints on the garage stem wall anyway?He said they needed to 3/4" or less... this wall had some that were 1 1/4"... ut oh. Honestly, I had never paid any attention to head joints. I asked what he wanted me to do, he said get a letter from an engineer. Well, the engineer won't sign off on the wall right away because he thinks the size of the head joints is inversely proportional to the mason's IQ.I told the mason about it, he calls the inspector, and goes off on him. Thanks... Inspector takes it in stride. He knows this country boy mason's pride is injured, so he just let's him rail. BI calls and says he never intended for the wall to come, he figured the engineer would give us a letter, he just couldn't sign off on it.The engineer finally says, he knows the wall's not going anywhere, put some sure wall on it and backfill.Mason paid for the letter and the sure wall, and nobody's worried.Any way, we get plans passed in a week or two, concrete inspections usually when they're called in, and anything else the next day. And, there's always inspectors in the office between 8 and 9AM to answer any questions.I have seen folks have trouble with inspectors I get along with. It it almost always their attitude.http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Why treat inspectors like God?
God holds your fate in his hands and so does .............................
In my general opinion, its always a bad deal when you give a low paid person a lot of power. Deal with a dog catcher some time.
"In my general opinion, its always a bad deal when you give a low paid person a lot of power. Deal with a dog catcher some time."
I don't know where you live, but in the area I'm familiar with a plumbing inspector will make more than a plumber once they are through the vetting process, not to mention all the perks that come with the job.
"If all else fails, read the directions"
On the other hand, we have a great building department for a small town (80,000+). You can call their message system as late as 9pm and request either an AM or PM inspection for the next morning/afternoon.
Morning inspections are from 8-12, afternoon from 12-4. Don't be surprised if you call for a morning inspection and they arrive at 7:45am, so you had better be ready.
I was always able to form a good relationship with our inspectors. They were helpful and knowlegable.
Got two C of O's, two sheathing, and one roofing inspection(s) on 5 houses done in one week. Passed every one!
Same went for when we did a HO build. Inspectors were great guys, always helpful.
I guess it all has to do with how well your building department is run.
Well, I realize you've already gone and covered it up......but here's what I've done in similar situations.....as long as I knew without a doubt that there was nothing wrong....I video taped what I was covering up from every angle and close enough there was no guessing. I also took photos.
Once the inspector showed I had the photos out for him to see and offered to go get the camcorder out of the truck if he needed further validation.
He never even looked at the photos much less the video..........he did carefully look at the electrical for the interior walls and such and was pleased......signed off.......
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I do take pictures and some inspectors will accept and some won't. The inspectors for the rural areas have a real ahole attitude and they have deep pockets and will take you to court if you don't do it there way and the won't accept pics. The problem is that with cuts backs there use to be a board that would take the building code and interpet it the way it was written not the way a inspector would read it. I had a rural inspector that would not let me do quarter points on the beams on a wrap around porch. I had to re-order all my lumber.
The guys in Lee County Fl have always been great with me. They accept pictures, are Email aware and seem to want to be helpful. I will say I avoid pissing them off but that is a good policy everywhere if you want a smooth life.I felt I got treated as well as I treated people when I was an inspector.My wife built over 100 houses in the mid 2000s and she never had that much inspector trouble but some of her peers did. They seemed to be the same guys who didn't get along that well with the trades either.
<My wife built over 100 houses in the mid 2000s and she never had that much inspector trouble but some of her peers did.>
Yeah but I bet your wife is a lot better looking than the guys that are getting the shaft.
I do take pictures and some inspectors will accept and some won't. The inspectors for the rural areas have a real ahole attitude and they have deep pockets and will take you to court if you don't do it there way and the won't accept pics.
Hi silvertip,
Thus the reason for video tape as well, which is admissable in court along with the pics. Proper documentation and clearly following the code and presented in court will clear things up. You can certainly say well, they'll hold the project up longer, delay forever, puts me on their bad side......well guess what, if nobody ever stands up to a tyrant or bully, the same junk keeps happening. Too often jerks are allowed to continue their trash in the name of money. Principle has to enter in at some point. It's just like giving a client what you promised them, even when you realize later that you under bid. A fine home builder will go the extra mile based on principle.
But, I digress, on the other side of things.....I have always had coffee and bottled water for the inspector and invite them in and walk through with my notepad and orange spray paint. I let them know I'm building the best house in their jurisdiction and hope I haven't missed anything but would rather them spot it now than for me to have to fix something a couple of years down the road for free at great expense.
Attitude goes a long ways on both sides. If the inspector is beyond left field then you go to his boss "respectfully". If it continues you do your duty and go to court.
Any time I've had a new inspector I explain the reason for the orange paint....it indicates any problems and makes it fast and easy for him to reinspect....all so far like that...saves them time and trouble......they want to get home for the game and dinner just as bad as most and when you are respectfully inquisitive, showing that you realize there are some things the inspector may know that you don't....we'll shucks everybody enjoys expressing their knowledge......enjoy the journey!
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According to recent headlines, the inspectors in New Jersey and Chicago are friendly and will pass just about anything--with the appropriate greasing of the palm.
According to recent headlines, the inspectors in New Jersey and Chicago are friendly and will pass just about anything--with the appropriate greasing of the palm.
Yo doorboy,
We do things different down here in the south......if they're good fella's we take 'em duck huntin'.......if they're nasty we don't bring 'em back......<grin>
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Yeah. Maybe we need to take them to the Rattlesnake Round-up over in Sweetwater.
Happened in Cleveland a few years back.
I think they hung just a few to make it look good to JohnnyQ. and things continue on much as before.
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After reading this thread I'm going to buy my inspectors Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. I get a call back with an apology and the phrase "Don't let us hold you up" if the inspector can't be on site in 24 hours.
Often in error but NEVER in doubt!
I can understand the little hitler, or the ex waffle house cook/inspector. we have them,in my company. But there are also contractors that have no idea what they doing, no idea what the code is, no idea how to read a blueprint. Yes the three inch of gravel on sand would of work,and next week it be three inches of gravel on clay, well you let me last week. or three inches on muck. code is code, it written down, just do it,I have seen strucual walls footer with out rebar. footer with rebar sticking out of wall, there a grey area of the code you can play with, but the black and white is hard core
" why do we treat inspectors like god"
If you are treating inspectors like god then you are a bigger part of the problem than the inspector himself.
They are NOT god and they are NOT infallible.
Treat them like one of the guys. Treat them like you would want to be treated.
If you get one with a god complex go right over his head immediately. People like that NEED to be taken down a few pegs on a regular basis.
Another thing is what a previous poster wrote, and is the MOST important part. Know the code at least as good or better than the inspector.
A lot of the time it is not knowing the code as much as understanding what each AHJ thinks the code means.
If the inspector or the building department is worth a damn they will give you their spin on it before you start. It is really about 50:50 from what I see in the IAEI meetings. Some AHJs are stricter than you might think the code defines and some take a lot more relaxed view.
I live in a state that does not allow ANY local amendments to the codes but any builder will tell you, from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, things are different.
This is one time where it is certainly easier to ask permission than to get forgiveness.